UC-NRLF 


*B  E73    ifi    , I 

THE 

PRODUCTION 


OF 


CLEAN  MILK  AND  CREAM 


FOR 


(NDUSTRJAL  PURPOSES 


ILLUSTRATED 


BY 

J.   POSTMA 

MILK  INSPECTOR 

LOLETA.   HUMBOLDT  COUNTY 

CALIFORNIA 

PUBLISHED   BY  THE  AUTHOR 

PRESS    OF    EUREKA    PRINTING    COMFAN" 
CUREKA.    CAL 


GIFT  OF 


Lole 


THE 

PRODUCTION 


OF 


CLEAN  MILK  AND  CREAM 


FOR 


BY 

J.   POSTMA 
MILK  INSPECTOR 

LOLETA.   HUMBOLDT  COUNTY 
CALIFORNIA 

PUBLISHED   BY   THE   AUTHOR 


INDUSTRIAL  PURPOSES 


ILLUSTRATED 


COPYRIGHT    1920 
BY    J.    POSTMA 


< 

0 

< 

I- 
iu 

C/>    J 

00 

Q  a 
J  < 

_   bj 

0    Z 

5.  z' 
ff  111 

<  2 


0  'U 


Preface 

This  booklet  has  been  written  for  dairymen  and  milk- 
ers who  produce  milk  and  cream,  destined  for  delivery  to 
a  creamery. 

Its  object  is  to  contribute  to  the  incessant  efforts  for 
the  improvement  of  milk  as  a  raw  material  for  the  manu- 
facture of  dairy-products. 

It  is  kept  free,  as  far  as  possible,  of  learned  expres- 
sions and  figures,  in  order  to  make  it  a  practical  guide  for 
those  dairymen  and  milkers,  who  have  not  had  the  privi- 
lege of  attending  instruction-courses  in  dairying. 

The  problems  of  the  eradication  of  Tuberculosis  in 
milk  cows,  and  other  diseases  in  cattle  have  not  been  dealt 
with  in  this  treatise,  as  being  of  a  veterinary  nature  and 
outside  its  scope. 

The  hope  is  felt  that  it  may  help  to  impress  on  a 
great  numbers  of  dairymen  and  milkers  the  urgency  of 
greater  efforts  for  the  production  of  clean  milk ;  the  raw 
material  for  a  class  of  food-products,  that  has  such  an 
important  part  in  the  feeding  of  the  people. 

Loleta,  Calif., 

May,  1920- 

J.  POSTMA. 


Introduction. 

Those  who  have  been  intimately  connected  with  the 
dairy  and  creamery  business  during  the  last  thirty  years, 
and  witnessed  the  glorious  period  of  progress  in  the  sci- 
ence of  dairying,  will  often  wonder  why,  in  the  face  of 
all  that  progress,  the  sanitary  production  of  industrial 
inilk  has  improved  so  little. 

To  be  sure,  there  are  in  every  district  where  dairying 
is  practised,  a  certain  number  of  dairy-farmers  who  pro- 
duce a  milk  of  good  sanitary  value,  and  in  districts  where 
dairying  has  been  practised  through  generations,  this 
number  is  larger  than  in  the  newer  ones.  But  even  in  the 
best  dairy-districts  the  majority  of  the  farmers  produce 
milk  that  is  periodically  or  regularly  unclean,  whidi 
causes  serious  loss  and  difficulties  for  the  creamerymen. 

What  are  the  reasons  for  this  condition  of  affairs  ? 

Is  it  lack  of  information,  or  has  the  information  not 
reached  the  greater  number  of  dairymen?  Or  are  there 
other  obstacles  in  the  way  of  general  adoption  of  im- 
proved methods  ? 

In  the  next  chapters  of  this  booklet  this  question  will 
be  subjected  to  a  short  discussion  and  the  ways  for  im- 
provement, as  the  author  sees  them,  laid  out. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

Page 

Preface    5 

Introduction    7 

Chapter  1 1 1— i  3 

Bacteria    11 

Chapter   II 14—24 

Discussion    14 

Influence  of  Creameries  on  the  cleanliness  of  Milk        '    15 

Technical    and    Hygienical    Instruction    17 

Scarcity  of  Labor  18 

Insufficient   Capital  19 

The   Basis  for   Payment  of  Milk  is   Unjust  :.M) 

Competition   Between  Creameries   22 

Negligence    of    Milk-Producers    2'2 

Sediment   Card   24 

Chapter  III 25—44 

How  to  Produce  Clean  Milk  25 

Feeding  of   the   Cows    25 

Ventilation  of  Stables   2(5 

Cleaning  of  the   Stables   20 

Considerations  When  Constructing  Stables  27 

Typical  Humboldt  County  Cow  Barn  28 

Barnyard    29 

Whitewashing  of  Stables  29 

Keep  Flies  Outside  the  Stables  30 

The  Cleaning  of  the  Cows  and  Udders  30 

Preparing  for  Milking  31 

Milking  with  W'et  or  Dry  Hands  31 

Milking  Machines   31 

M  ilkpails 33 

Milking  33 

Milk  of  Kicking  Cows  34 

Colostrum  Milk   35 

S trippings  35 

The  Straining  or  Filtering  of  Milk  3(5 

M  ilkstrainers    30 

The  Cooling  of  the  Milk  37 

Postma's  Sanitary  Milkstrainer  2*J 

9 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

(Continued) 

Page 

Tank-Cooling 39 

Spiral    Conical    Milkcooler   40 

Flat  Tubular  Milkcooler  and  Receiving  Tank 41 

Cooling  by  Air  42 

The    Transportation    of   Milk   42 

Return    Products   43 

The  Cleaning  of  Milkcans  43 

The  Storage  of  Empty  Milkcans  44 

Chapter  IV : 45—48 

The  Production  of  Cream  „.  45 

Cream  Separators  45 

Separating  of  Milk  45 

Tank-Cooling  of  Cream  46 

The  Ideal  Sanitary  Cream  Cooler  47 

Cleaning  the  Separator  and  the  Milking  Tools 48 

Chapter  V.  49—52 

Undesirable   Fermentations  49 

Sour  Milk  49 

Bitter  Milk  49 

Fishy  or  Oily  Milk  50 

Gassy  Fermentation  50 

Slimy  or  Ropy  50 

Garget  or  Inflammation  of  the  Udder  51 

Other  Milk  Defects  51 

Salty   Milk  52 

Chapter    VI 53—55 

Fermentation   Tests   53 

Summary  and  Conclusions  54 


10 


The  Production  of  Clean  Milk  and 
Cream  for  Industrial  Purposes 


CHAPTER  I. 


Bacteria 

\Yhere  Bacteria  are  the  cause  of  nearly  all  the  pro- 
cesses of  fermentation  and  deterioration  in  milk,  and 
therefore  intimately  connected  with  the  question  of  clean 
milk  production,  a  short  description  of  their  nature  seems 
advisable  for  a  good  understanding  of  the  contents  of 
this  booklet. 

Bacteria  are  the  smallest  of  living  plants  we  know. 
Each  Bacteria  is  made  of  only  one  cell.  The  cell  is  com- 
posed of  a  cell-wall  with  transparent  contents,  termed 
protoplasm,  of  which  the  exact  composition  is  not  yet 
known. 

Bacteria  are  very  small.  They  can  be  observed  and 
studied  only  with  the  aid  of  a  powerful  microscope. 
Some  bacteria  are  so  small  that  25,000  could  be  placed 
side  by  side  and  form  a  chain  of  less  than  one  inch  in 
length. 

They  are  present  everywhere ;  in  the  soil,  in  the  air 
of  rooms,  stables  and  outside,  in  water,  on  all  food  stuffs, 
on  the  milktools,  adhering  to  the  hairs  of  all  animals,  but 
particularly  in  all  decaying  and  rotting  organic  matter 
like  dung,  sour  milk,  and  fermenting  foodrests. 

Under  favorable  conditions  for  their  growth,  billions 
may  be  found  in  one  cubic  centimeter,  (a  cubic  centimeter 
is  about  1-16  part  of  a  cubic  inch.) 

They  grow  extremely  rapidly.  One  single  bacterium 
may  grow  to  several  millions  in  24  hours. 

The  reproduction  takes   place  by   division  of  cells, 
11 


each  cell  forming  two  bacteria,  which  in  turn  divide 
again,  forming  four,  etc. 

Some  species  of  bacteria,  which  reproduce  under  or- 
dinary circumstances  by  cell-division,  are  capable  of  form- 
ing spores,  if  their  life  is  imperiled  by  unfavorable  con- 
ditions. These  spores  form  in  the  mothercell  and  the 
very  resistant  to  outside  influences  like  heat  and  cold. 
When  coming  under  favorable  conditions  again  the  spores 
begin  to  grow  and  the  reproduction  goes  on  in  the 'usual 
way  by  cell-division. 

Bacteria  of  the  spore-forming  species  are  a  great 
danger  to  the  quality  of  milk-products.  The  spores  can 
be  killed  only  by  heating  to  temperatures  by  which  the 
nature  of  the  milk  or  the  products  is  altered  and  thus 
lowered. 

Some  species  are  useful  in  the  manufacturing-pro- 
cesses of  various  articles  of  human  food,  i.  e.  butter, 
cheese,  etc.,  or  by  promoting  the  growth  of  useful  plants 
like  clovers,  vetches,  peas  and  beans,  while  others  may 
cause  troubles  by  producing  compounds  that  are  undesir- 
able (racidity  in  butter,  bitter  taste  in  milk,)  or  plant  dis- 
eases. 

All  the  dangerous  contagious  diseases  in  man  and 
animals  are  caused  by  bacteria. 

The  undesirable  kinds  are  most  often  found  in  filth 
and  manure,  on  dusty  and  rotting  feedstuff S,  bedding  ma- 
terial, etc. ;  hence  the  great  danger  connected  with  feed- 
ing, manuring  of  stables,  and  bedding  during  milking* 
time.  By  these  actions  the  bacteria,  adhering  to  dust- 
particles  are  stirred  up  in  the  air  and  fall  in  the  shape 
of  an  invisible  rain  in  the  milk-pail. 

The  rapidity  of  bacterial  growth  depends  upon  the 
character  of  the  medium  in  which  they  live  and  upon  the 
temperature  thereof.  The  more  water  a  medium  contains 
the  more  rapid  is,  in  general,  their  growth. 

Each  species  of  bacteria  is  limited  in  its  reproduction 
to  certain  temperatures,  above  and  below  which  it  ceases ; 

12 


the  maximum  and  minimum  temperatures.  It  has  further 
a  temperature  at  which  it  reaches  its  greatest  develop- 
ment, the  optimum  temperature.  That  at  which  bacteria 
are  destroyed  is  termed  the  death  temperature. 

Some  will  grow  at  temperatures  approaching  the 
freezing  point  of  water,  others  at  a  heat  of  150  degrees 
Fahrenheit ;  the  greater  number  however  find  their  maxi- 
mum growth  at  a  heat  of  90  to  100  degrees  Fahrenheit, 
the  heat  of  the  animal  body  and  of  freshly  drawn  milk. 

The  growth  of  most  of  the  bacteria  ceases  or  is  very 
slow  at  temperatures  lower  than  50  degrees  Fahrenheit. 

Milk  is  one  of  the  very  best  media  for  the  growth  of 
a  great  variety  of  bacteria,  especially  if  the  temperature 
is  near  body-heat,  thus  immediately  after  milking. 

The  aim  of  the  creameryman  is  to  receive  the  milk 
at  the  creameries  as  fresh  as  possible,  with  the  lowest  pos- 
sible number  of  bacteria  in  it.  He  may  then,  by  judicious 
means,  lead  the  fermentation  processes  in  the  direction 
best  fitted  for  the  quality  of  the  products  he  intends  to 
make. 

It  is  up  to  the  dairymen  to  see  that  the  milk  is 
handled  on  the  farm  in  such  a  manner  as  is  most  favor- 
able to  the  requirements  of  the  creamerymen. 


13 


CHAPTER  II. 


Discussion 

The  production  of  clean  milk  and  the  delivery  of 
this  milk  at  the  creamery  in  a  clean  condition,  is  a  prob- 
lem which  a  considerable  number  of  milk  producers  have 
not  yet  solved. 

From  the  very  moment  the  first  creamery  began  to 
operate,  the  most  difficult  problem  of  the  creamerymen 
has  been  how  to  obtain  the  milk  from  the  dairymen  in 
such  a  state  of  cleanliness,  that  products  of  high  quality 
can  be  made  from  it,  and  that  it  may  conscientiously  be 
used  for  the  manufacture  of  such  articles  that  are  used 
for  food  for  adults  as  well  as  for  infants  and  invalids, 
like  sterilized,  evaporated  and  condensed  milk. 

For  this  purpose,  as  stated  in  the  previous  chapter, 
the  milk  should  only  contain  a  small  number  of  bacteria, 
when  delivered  at  the  creamery ;  it  should  be  almost  in 
its  natural  condition,  as  it  was  drawn  from  the  cow. 

It  should  contain  no  sediment  resulting  from  unhy- 
gienic handling.  The  milk  must  be  clean. 

Clean  milk.  For  a  good  understanding  of  this  work 
the  term  clean  milk  will  be  used  for  milk  answering  to 
the  above  description.  It  must  not  be  confused  with 
Certified  and  other  milk  produced  under  rigid  sanitary 
conditions  and  destined  for  immediate  consumption  in 
its  raw  state,  and  commanding  a  higher  price  than  milk 
used  for  creamery  purposes. 

Unclean  Milk.  This  term  will  be  used  for  milk  thai 
has  been  produced  under  unhygienic  conditions  and  con- 
tains impurities  like  flies,  cowdung,  hairs,  dandruff,  etc., 
carrying  a  great  number  of  bacteria  of  unknown  species. 

In  every  creamery  a  part  of  the  milk  accepted  must 
be  considered  unclean,  even  where  skillful  grading  is 
practised.  Milk  may  have  fermented  considerably  be- 

i  i 


fore  this  can  be  detected  by  the  grader  with  the  means 
he  has  at  his  disposal. 

Altho  the  creameryman  may  correct,  by  scientific 
methods,  to  a  certain  degree,  the  quality  of  the  products 
made  of  unclean  milk,  it  must  be  well  understood  that 
high  class  products  can  only  be  made  of  a  milk  without 
visible  or  hidden  defects. 

Consequences  for  the  Creameryman.  If  unclean 
milk  is  received  in  a  creamery  in  perceptible  quantities, 
the  troubles  of  the  operator  are  very  great  indeed.  He 
has  to  bear  the  risks,  probable  losses  and  all  the  troubles 
resulting  from  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  articles  which 
are  not  perfectly  sound. 

He  may,  under  circumstances,  have  to  discontinue  the 
making  of  products,  giving  the  best  profits.  The  conse- 
quences may  be  enormous  and  fatal  for  the  prosperity 
of  the  enterprise. 

Consequences  for  the  Dairyman.  It  is  self-speaking 
that  the  results  of  the  delivery  of  unclean  milk  make 
themselves  felt  by  a  lower  payment  for  the  same. 

Enterprises,  working  on  a  co-operative  basis  feel 
almost  immediately  the  decrease  in  revenue,  caused  by 
the  sale  of  inferior  products.  Those  operated  by  private 
concerns  may  be  compelled  by  competition  to  maintain 
competitive  milk-prices  for  a  certain  time,  only  in  the 
long  run  a  dairyman  may  not  expect  to  receive  a  higher 
price  for  his  milk  than  is  warranted  by  its  contents  in 
solids  and  its  state  of  cleanliness  at  the  time  of  delivery 
to  the  creamery. 

The  losses,  resulting  from  the  delivery  of  defective 
raw  material  must  necessarily  fall  back  on  the  producer 
thereof. 


Influence  of  Creameries  on  the  Cleanliness  of  Milk 

At  the  time,  now  almost  gone  by,  when  the  dairy- 
men made  butter  and  cheese  on  the  farm,  there  was  a 
continuous  endeavor  to  maintain  the  greatest  possible 

15 


cleanliness  in  and  about  everything  that  was  connected 
with  the  production  of  milk  and  its  products. 

The  feeding"  of  the  cows,  bedding,  grooming,  and 
milking  were  performed  with  the  greatest  care.  The 
handling  of  the  milk  was  done  promptly  and  \\as  con- 
sidered the  most  important  work  on  the  farm.  Experi- 
ence had  told  that  the  slightest  trespassing  in  these  mat- 
ters was  promptly  followed  by  a  lower  price  for  the 
products. 

During  the  last  decades  creameries  have  to  a  great 
extent  relieved  the  individual  dairyman  from  the  manu- 
iacturing  part  of  his  profession.  A  more  uniform  quality 
of  the  products,  greater  quantities  of  the  same  quality, 
the  possibility  of  using  new  and  labor-saving  machines, 
and  many  other  reasons  have  resulted  in  the  transfering 
of  the  greater  part  of  the  dairying  from  the  farm  to  the 

creamery. 

This  period  has  been  remarkable  for  the  industry 
in  many  respects.  Along  with  its  technical-scientific  de- 
velopment could  be  seen  a  great  progress  in  dairy- 
hygienics  and  in  the  teaching  of  the  same  by  courses  of 
Agricultural  Colleges,  Short-Courses,  Lecturing  of  Gov- 
ernment Officers  and  last  but  not  least  by  the  Agricul- 
tural press. 

However,  this  educational  work  has  not  resulted  in 
such  a  general  improvement  in  the  clean  handling  of  the 
milk  as  might  be  expected.  Several  drawbacks  connected 
with  the  new  system  came  to  light  and  acted  as  so  many 
brakes  on  progress. 

The  result  of  sending  unclean  milk  was  rot  dis- 
tinctly noticed  by  the  individual  producer,  because  the 
inilk  of  all  was  mixed  and  worked  together,  and  turther, 
the  producer  of  clean  milk  did  not  as  a  rule  receive  a 
higher  price  for  his  milk,  as  a  compensation  for  his 
greater  care  and  work,  than  those  who  were  less  particu- 
lar in  this  respect.  This  could  not  fail  to  give  the  im- 

K; 


pression  that  the  milk  was  all  right  as  long-  as  it  was  not 
rejected  by  the  creameryman  for  perceptible  defects- 

Impressions  of  this  sort  lead  easily  to  laxity  and 
indifference,  which  stand  directly  in  the  way  of  progress. 
They  can  be  combatted  only  by  an  efficient  system  of 
education  in  the  principles  of  dairying,  a  strict  enforce- 
ment of  the  dairy  laws  and  above  all  by  a  more  nearly 
correct  payment  of  the  milk. 


Technical  and  Hygienical  Instruction 

A  considerable  number  of  dairymen  have  not  had 
sufficient  technical  and  hygienical  instruction  to  under- 
stand the  importance  of  the  production  of  clean  milk  by 
all  producers  without  exception.  The  important  work 
clone  by  Agricultural  Colleges,  Government  Officers, 
Farm  Advisers,  County  Agents,  Dairy  Inspectors,  etc., 
is  inadequate  to  fill  the  need.  It  reaches  only  a  small 
number  of  the  more  intellectual  dairymen  and  is  not 
understood  and  therefore  not  valued  by  those  who  need 
it  most. 

In  this  country  the  business  of  dairying  is  often 
taken  up  by  persons  who  have  no  theoretical  or  prac- 
tical experience  and  knowledge  of  the  industry.  They 
are  often  a  discredit  to  their  new  profession.  This  in- 
flux of  newcomers  annihilates,  to  a  great  extent,  the 
results  of  the  efforts  made  by  the  above  named  institu- 
tions and  officials. 

As  only  few  of  the  farmers'  sons  and  daughters 
are  for  various  reasons  able  to  attend  an  Agricultural 
College  and  obtain  the  indispensable  knowledge  of  the 
industry,  it  seems  practical  to  make  the  teaching  of  the 
elementary  principles  of  agriculture  and  dairying  more 
general  and  compulsory  in  the  country  schools  and  to 
devote  a  reasonable  time  thereto 

Considering  that  in  this  country  almost  everybody 
i«  directly  or  indirectly  interested  in  the  farming  and 

17 


dairy  business  it  seems  a  sound  policy  to  enable  every 
scholar  to  get  the  indispensable  knowledge  therefore  at 
the  home  school. 


Scarcity  of  Labor 

The  outbreak  of  the  European  war  and  its  conse- 
quences have  brought  severe  hardships  on  the  dairymen. 
A  number  of  skilled  workers  answered  the  call  of  the 
country,  here  or  abroad,  and  enlisted  in  the  army  or 
r-avy  or  were  drafted  for  the  same.  Besides  that  the 
mobilization  in  almost  every  country  in  Europe,  and  the 
danger  in  navigation  completely  stopped  the  arrival  of 
immigrants.  At  the  end  of  the  war  many  foreigners  re- 
turned to  their  native  countries  to  take  part  in  the  resto- 
ration work ;  for  the  same  reason  those  who  intended 
to  emigrate  to  the  United  States  stayed  at  home. 

Xow  the  milking  of  cows  is  not  a  favorite  work  for 
the  American  laborer.  It  is  too  binding"  for  him  and  he 
leaves  it  with  pleasure  to  the  aliens,  on  whom  for  this 
reason  rested  the  greater  share  of  the  milking  and  care 
of  dairy  cattle. 

Where  they  are  not  now  disposable  there  exists  a 
shortage  of  help  in  this  industry.  The  considerable 
raise  in  salaries,  caused  by  this  shortage,  has  not  reme- 
died the  evil  and  the  result  is  that  on  many  a  dairy  farm 
the  work  is  not  accomplished  in  an  efficient  manner, 
which  results  inevitably  in  the  production  of  unclean 
milk. 

Dairymen  who  are  continually  short  of  help  may 
find  some  relief  by  applying  the  following  systems: 
Unless  the  herd  has  been  carefully  bred  up  to  high  pro- 
duction, there  will  be  found  on  every  farm  a  number 
of  cows,  usually  larger  than  is  expected,  whose  milk- 
Yu-ld  and  butterfat  production  is  not  high  enough  to  pay 
for  feed,  care  and  lalx^r.  With  the  aid  of  Cow-testing 

38 


associations  these  cows  should  he  weeded  out  and  dis- 
posed of,  by  preference  as  butchers'  cows. 

1)V  doing  so,  the  dairyman  will  save  much  labor  and 
be  able  to  attend  to  his  work  in  a  thorough  manner,  at 
the  same  lime  having  a  larger  income  than  before. 

All  hand  labor  should  be,  as  far  as  practicable,  me- 
chanical labor.  The  use  of  milking-machines  should  be 
considered  in  all  dairies  where  more  than  20  cows  are 
milked. 

The  breeding  of  the  cows  may  be  so  regulated  that 
all  or  a  part  of  the  cows  will  freshen  in  the  fall.  The 
greatest  amount  of  work  connected  with  milking  is  then 
performed  in  winter  and  more  time  will  be  available  in 
summer  for  the  care  of  feed-crops.  The  general  ex- 
perience is  also  that  cows  calving  in  fall  give  higher  re- 
turns than  those  which  drop  their  calves  in  spring. 


Insufficient  Capital 

Clean  dairying  demands  clean  conditions,  in  and 
around  the  stables,  in  the  milk-house,  in  the  feed-house 
and  in  the  farm-yards.  The  floors  of  stables  and  milk- 
house  should  be  made  of  hard  material,  that  will  not 
absorb  urine  or  milk  (concrete  is  preferable.)  In  those 
districts  which  are  visited  by  long  rainy  spells  the  outside 
yard  should  also  be  hardened  so  that  it  may  be  washed 
and  provide  a  clean  way  to  the  stable.  The  cows  must 
not  be  forced  to  wade  kneedeep  through  mud  and  manure 
just  before  milking. 

A  part  of  the  yard  should  have  a  roof,  enabling  the 
cows  to  find  a  dry  and  comfortable  place  to  lie  down.  A 
sanitary  milk-house  with  pressure  water  system  and  a 
milk-cooling  plant  should  be  made. 

It  costs  money  to  make  such  arrangements  as  are 
necessary  for  the  production  of  clean  milk. 

Many  a  dairyman  begins  his  enterprise  with  too  little 
money  and  invests  too  much  of  it  in  cows  and  too  little 

19 


in  improvements.     He  is  for  this  reason  unable  to  com- 
ply with  the  demands  of  the  creameryman. 

The  Basis  for  Payment  of  Milk  is  Unjust 

As  long  as  the  same  price  is  paid  for  unclean  milk 
as  clean  milk,  no  general  improvements  as  mentioned 
above,  may  be  expected,  as  the  money  invested  in  these 
improvements  is  not  giving  visible  returns.  As  long  as 
the  money-end  is  not  connected  with  the  sanitary  con- 
dition of  the  milk,  only  a  small  number  of  progressive 
dairymen  will  have  enough  idealism  and  sence  for  effi- 
ciency to  go  to  the  expense  of  making  these  improve- 
ments. 

The  existing  Dairy  laws  in  many  of  the  United 
States  give  the  authorities  sufficient  power  to  force  the 
dairymen  to  produce  milk  in  a  sanitary  way.  The  dif- 
ficulty is  that  it  is  not  possible  to  control  the  work,  done 
on  all  the  dairy-farms,  permanently.  Consequently  the 
enforcement  of  the  dairy  laws  is  impractical  and  gener- 
ally speaking,  such  laws  are  only  put  in  operation  in  such 
districts  from  which  milk  is  sent  to  the  large  cities,  for 
direct  consumption. 

It  seems  more  logical  to  introduce  a  better  system 
for  the  payment  of  the  milk  and  to  make  the  price  there- 
of dependent  on  the  state  of  cleanliness  in  which  it  is 
delivered  to  the  creamery. 

The  milk  should  be  paid  for  not  alone  on  the  basis 
of  its  contents  of  fat  and  solids,  but  also  in  relation  to 
the  condition  in  which  these  fats  and  solids  are  at  the 
moment  of  its  delivery. 

It  is  undisputable  that  clean  milk  has  a  greater 
value  than  unclean  milk. 

Of   clean    milk    high    class    products    can    be    made, 
easily  salable,  at  the  highest  market  price  or  even  higher. 
High  class  articles  increase  the  demand  and  enable  the 
creameryman  to  build  up  his  business  and  to  pay  the  top 
price  for  the  milk. 

20 


Of  unclean  milk,  however,  only  more  or  less  inferior 
products  can  be  made,  selling  with  difficulty  and  causing 
undesirable  trade-risks  and  losses  which  make  it  impos- 
sible to  build  up  a  business  and  pay  a  high  price  for  the 
milk. 

As  the  milk  of  all  the  patrons  is  usually  mixed  to- 
gether after  arriving  at  the  creamery,  the  quality  of  the 
products  will  be  in  accordance  with  the  sanitary  condi- 
tion of  the  mired  milk.  Likewise  the  price  of  the  milk 
will  depend  thereon.  The  producers  of  clean  milk  have 
thus  to  bear  a  part  of  the  abatement  of  the  revenues 
caused  by  the  inefficiency  of  the  producers  of  the 
unclean  stuff.  This  is  neither  just  nor  reasonable, 
and  a  divergement  from  the  rules  accepted  for  the  sale 
of  other  farm-produce  like  grain,  seeds,  etc. 

For  the  application  of  a  sound  scheme  for  the  pay- 
ment of  milk  on  a  basis  of  cleanliness,  a  score-card 
should  be  made  of  the  milk  of  each  patron.  Points 
should  be  given  for  taste,  flavour,  acidity,  absence  of 
sediment,  fermentation,  etc.  With  the  aid  of  the  totals 
the  milk  could  be  classed  in  five  qualities.  For  milk  of 
the  3rd  quality  the  regular  price  should  be  paid,  while 
that  for  the  4th  and  5th  quality  should  be  progressively 
reduced  and  for  the  2nd  and  1st  increased  accordingly. 

The  classification  of  the  milk  would  have  to  be  done 
by  persons  of  high  moral  standing  and  under  bond  for 
impartiality  and  the  system  of  payment  made  compul- 
sory for  all  enterprises  that  manufacture  milk-products 
from  other  milk  than  produced  by  their  own  cattle. 

Under  such  a  system  of  payment  a  great  improve- 
ment in  the  sanitary  condition  of  industrial  milk  may  be 
expected-  The  owners  of  dairy-farms  would  be  com- 
pelled to  bring  their  farm-buildings  up  to  such  a  stand- 
ard of  perfection  as  would  enable  them  to  make  first 
quality  milk  or,  in  case  they  lease  their  property,  to  ac- 
cept a  rent  lower  in  proportion  to  the  inferiority  of  the 
conditions  thereon. 

21 


The  production  of  4th  and  5th  quality  milk  would 
not  be  a  paying'  proposition  and  such  milk  would  soon 
be  only  produced  by  exception,  and  the  intelligent  and 
up  to  date  dairyman  would  receive  a  just  payment  for 
the  greater  trouble  and  care  connected  with  the  produc- 
tion of  the  better  product. 


Competition  Between  Creameries 

The  existence  of  more  than  one  creamery  in  the 
same  district  is  often  to  the  advantage  of  the  milk- 
producers.  It  is  often  a  security  for  a  fair  milk-price. 

On  the  sanitary  handling  of  the  milk,  however,  it 
has  sometimes  a  negative  influence.  Milk-producers 
whose  milk  has  been  rejected  for  sanitary  reasons  by 
one  creamery,  often  are  allowed  to  ship  to  the  competi- 
tor who  is  anxious  to  have  their  patronage. 

Creamerymen  in  such  locations  have  to  do  either  of 
two  things :  lose  a  patron  or  overlook  milk  defects  which 
should  not  be  tolerated. 

Instead  of  improving  conditions,  cases  of  this  na- 
ture cannot  fail  to  lower  the  same.  Here  also  a  uniform 
system  of  payment  as  above  mentioned  would  be  the 
natural  remedy. 


Negligence  of  Milk -Producers 

There  are  amongst  the  dairymen  as  in  every  large 
body  of  individuals  a  certain  number  who  are  totally 
indifferent  to  sanitary  progress,  of  which  they  seem  not 
to  be  able  to  grasp  the  importance. 

They  disregard  the  most  serious  complaints  about 
the  defects  of  their  milk  and  cannot  be  brought  to  reason. 
It  is  no  rare  event  that  milk  from  a  pail  in  which  a  co\v 
has  set  a  foot  during  milking,  has  been  mixed  with  the 
other  milk  of  the  daily  production  and  delivered  to  the 
creamery. 

22 


It  requires  all  the  unrelaxed  attention  of  the 
creameryman  to  prevent  such  milk  being  rushed  through 
during  the  busy  season,  with  the  inevitable  results. 

If  for  some  reason  milk  from  unreliable  sources 
must  be  accepted  in  the  creamery  at  all,  it  should  be 
worked  separate  until  the  producer  has  been  brought  to. 
reason,  if  necessary  with  the  help  of  the  Sanitary  Au- 
thorities, and  improvement  is  obtained. 


2:1 


& 
3 

w 


M 


O 


3 

u 


Q 
O 
O 
O 


8 


& 
D 
O 


24 


CHAPTER  III. 


How   To   Produce   Clean  Milk 

The  first  and  constant  care  for  the  production  of 
clean  milk  is  preventing  it  from  becoming1  contaminated 
with  Bacteria.  As  explained  in  the  preceding  pages, 
every  particle  of  dust,  manure,  every  hair,  bit  of  dan- 
druff or  foul  air  may  contain,  or  have  adhering  to  it, 
bacteria  in  great  numbers  and  of  undesirable  species 
which,  once  in  the  milk,  will  rapidly  develop  if  the  tem- 
perature is  right  for  their  growth. 


Feeding  of  the  Cows 

The  feed  given  to  the  cows  should  be  wholesome 
and  well  balanced.  If  it  is  in  a  state  of  fermentation 
or  rotting,  is  very  sour,  contains  large  quantities  of 
water,  like  young  grass,  clover,  mangel-wurtzel,  beets 
and  carrots,  when  much  soil  is  adhering  to  it,  when  it  is 
very  cold  or  frozen,  cows  often  get  scours  and  soil  their 
switches,  udders,  and  hindquarters  and  also  the  stables. 

The  same  thing  happens  if  the  nutritive  ratio  of 
the  feed  is  too  narrow :  the  cows  are  getting  too  much 
protein  in  the  food  in  proportion  to  fat  and  other  carbo- 
hydrates. 

The  dirt  so  formed  is  likely  to  come  in  the  milk 
either  at  the  next  milking-time  or  later,  after  it  has 
dried  and  is  stirred  up  in  different  ways,  sowing  in  the 
milk  large  numbers  of  bacteria. 

Although  one  of  the  principal  requirements  for  the 
health  of  the  cows  and  for  an  abundant  milk-yield  is  that 
the  bowels  be  kept  open  and  active,  excesses  should  be 
avoided  and  met  with  great  care  in  the  cleaning  of  cows 
and  stables.  This  should  be  done  after  each  milking 
and  thoroughly.  (See  also  Page  30.) 

Dusty  and  strong  smelling  feed  should  not  be  fed 
immediately  before  or  during  the  milking  process. 


Ventilation  of  Stables 

Every  stable  should  be  equipped  with  a  system  of 
ventilation  that  is  capable  of  renewing  in  a  short  time 
the  air  in  the  stable,  taking  in  pure  fresh  air  and  eject- 
ing the  foul,  dust-saturated  air,  without  causing  a 
draught. 

In  the  milder  climates,  where  the  cows  are  going 
in  the  pasture  all  the  year  round,  the  stables  are  as  a 
rule  so  lightly  constructed  that  there  is  ample  ventilation. 

In  the  colder  ones  the  stables  are  made  more  sub- 
stantial. No  draught  is  coming  thru  the  walls  and  the 
doors  are  kept  closed  to  keep  the  temperature  of  the 
stable  air  up.  Great  care  must  be  taken  that  sufficient 
circulation  of  fresh  air  is  provided  for,  and  it  will  prove 
an  advantage  to  a  dairyman,  when  constructing  a  barn, 
to  consult  a  farm  adviser  or  County  agent  or  other  ag- 
ricultural authority,  about  the  most  advisable  system  of 
ventilation  under  the  local  conditions.  Such  advice  is 
free  of  expense  and  based  upon  careful  studies,  made 
by  competent  men,  on  this  important  subject. 

The  stable  air  may  contain,  as  above  stated,  large 
numbers  of  undesirable  bacteria,  resulting  from  manure, 
hay,  straw,  bedding  material,  etc.,  which  by  air 
currents,  feeding  and  bedding,  etc.,  come  in  motion,  and 
may  fall  in  the  milkpail. 

Consequently,  no  work  should  be  done  in  the  stables 
immediately  before  or  during  the  milking  process,  by 
which  dust  of  any  kind  is  stirred  up. 


Cleaning  of  the  Stables 

The  cleaning  of  stables  and  cows  should  do  done  be- 
tween the  milkings,  taking  care  that  sufficient  time  is 
left  for  ventilation,  before  the  next  milking  commences. 

In  summer  when  the  cows  go  in  the  pasture  and  are 
only  stabled  to  be  milked,  no  bedding  is  necessary.  After 
the  milking  is  finished  and  the  cows  have  left  the  stables, 
the  manure  is  removed  and  if  possible,  the  walls  and 

26 


lloors  should  be  washed  with  the  aid  of  a  strong  jet  of 
water. 

The  floors  and  stalls  should  be  made  water-tight 
and  have  sufficient  slope  to  allow  the  water  and  liquid 
manure  to  flow  into  a  tank  outside  the  building.  From 
there  it  may  be  run  or  pumped  into  a  liquid  manure 
spreader  and  be  sprayed  over  the  fields.  In  this  way  the 
cleaning  of  the  stables  can  be  performed  in  a  very  short 
time  and  in  an  efficient  manner. 

If  for  climatic  reasons  the  cows  must  be  kept  inside 
for  a  long  time,  as  is  the  case  in  the  northern  States  and 
Canada,  the  cleaning  of  the  stables  is  more  complicated- 

In  such  locations,  the  manure-gutters  should  be 
wider  and  deeper  so  that  the  co\vs  may  lie  down  without 
touching  the  manure.  The  manure  should  be  removed  at 
least  once  every  day,  twice  is  much  better. 

After  the  gutter  has  been  emptied  and  cleaned  the 
bedding  nearest  to  the  gutter  should  be  taken  from  the 
stalls  and  spread  in  the  same,  thereby  preventing  splash- 
ing when  the  droppings  fall. 

The  rest  of  the  bedding  is  now  brought  backward  and 
supplementary  bedding  brought  under  the  front  part  of 
the  cows.  From  time  to  time  all  the  bedding  should  be 
removed,  the  floors  of  the  stalls  cleaned  of  dirt  by  scrub- 
bing and  scraping,  and  entirely  fresh  bedding  put  on. 


Considerations  When  Constructing  Stables 

AYhen  constructing  new  stables,  iron  and  concrete 
should  be  preferably  used.  Stables  made  of  this  mate- 
rial are  not  only  more  durable,  but  assure  easy  cleaning. 
However,  a  good  sanitary  stable  may  be  built  of  wood 
(see  illustration  on  page  27),  although  the  cleaning  is 
not  as  easy  as  one  of  concrete  and  requires  therefore 
more  time  and  labor. 

The  number  of  corners  should  be  limited  as  far  as 
possible.     Corners  are  a  nuisance  in  stables  as  they  are 

27 


28 


gathering  places  for  dirt  and  cobwebs  and  breeding 
places  for  Hies. 

The  walls  should  be  free  of  cracks  and  be  smooth. 
Smooth  surfaces  are  easily  cleaned  and  whitewashed. 

Plenty  of  light  should  be  admitted ;  5  square  feet 
lor  every  cow  is  the  least  window  surface  that  is  allow- 
able. Screens  for  doors  and  windows  should  not  be 
omitted,  and  sun-shutters  may  prove  useful  in  many  lo- 
calities. 


Barnyard 

The  barnyard  should  have  a  hardened  surface  with 
considerable  slope,  in  order  that  it  may  be  cleaned  of 
manure  and  that  the  rainwater  may  drain  off.  A  part 
should  be  covered  to  give  protection  against  rain  and 
other  storms  and  to  provide  for  a  comfortable,  shady 
and  dry  place  to  rest. 

Very  often  barnyards  are  in  a  very  dirty  and  un- 
hygienic condition,  which  is  inconsistent  with  the  pro- 
duction of  clean  milk.  The  cows  may  be  seen  wading 
kneedeep  thru  a  layer  of  mud  and  manure  or  even  lying 
in  the  same,  covering  themselves  with  filth.  No  clean 
milk  can  be  produced  unless  such  cows  are  thoroughly 
cleaned  and  washed. 


Whitewashing  of  Stables 

The  stables  should  be  whitewashed  at  least  two  times 
every  year.  It  should  be  done  with  great  thoroughness 
and  care.  The  whitewash  should  contain  some  sticking 
material  like  glue,  or  have  skim  or  buttermilk  mixed  in 
(1-2  skim-milk  and  1-2  water.)  That  will  prevent  the 
lime  from  falling  off  in  scales. 

Some  disinfectant  should  be  added,  in  order  to  de- 
stroy all  larvae,  nits,  etc.,  which  may  adhere  to  the  walls 
and  ceilings  or  may  be  hidden  in  cracks. 

29 


Keep  Flies   Outside   the   Stables 

Flies  should  be  kept  out  of  the  stables ;  not  only  are 
they  carriers  of  millions  of  the  most  dangerous  bacteria, 
which  may  come  in  the  milk  with  them,  but  they  also 
induce  the  cows  to  whip  their  sides  with  their  switches, 
to  kick  and  to  move  during  milking.  All  this  results 
in  less  milk  and  in  the  falling  in  the  milk  of  hairs  and 
other  dirt. 

Cleanliness  is  the  best  preventive  against  flies.  Where 
fermenting  feedrests  and  other  decaying  matter  is  lying 
they  are  bound  to  come.  For  this  reason  all  manure 
should  be  removed  a  distance  from  the  stable.  As  flies 
are  easily  blown  in  the  direction  of  the  wind  the  manure 
pile  is  preferably  made  on  the  side  of  the  stable  to 
which  the  wind  most  often  blows  during  the  summer. 
Where  practicable  the  manure  should  be  removed  to  the 
field  every  day. 

Xo  hogs  or  poultry  should  be  allowed  to  come  into 
or  near  the  stables. 


The  Cleaning  of  the  Cows  and  Udders 

When  the  cows  are  kept  inside,  they  should  be  regu- 
larly brushed  and  cleaned,  the  loose  hairs  and  dandruff 
removed  and  the  skin  kept  clean  from  lice,  nits,  skin  dis- 
eases, etc.  This  cleaning  has  to  be  done  between  the 
milkings,  never  during  or  just  before  milking. 

If  the  flanks,  udders  and  switches  are  soiled  they 
should  be  washed  and  dried  before  milking.  With  the 
help  of  a  soft  brush  and  a  fine  spray  of  water  this  is  not 
as  great  a  work  as  it  appears. 

The  cleaning  of  flanks  and  udder  may  be  greatly 
facilitated  by  clipping  the  hair  growing  on  these  parts 
and  on  the  tail.  The  latter  should  be  clipped  at  the  sides 
and  to  its  base ;  only  a  switch  should  be  left  at  its  end. 
The  switch  must  be  kept  free  from  lice  and  cockleburs 
and  be  washed  from  time  to  time- 

30 


Cockleburs  may  be  removed  and  the  cowlice  killed 
hv  washing'  with  the  following"  dip: 

Dissolve  one  pound  of  white  soap  in  2  gallons  of  hot 
water.  After  the  soap  is  entirely  dissolved  whip  into  the 
sucl  one  pint  of  coal-oil  and  the  half  of  a  pint  of  Creolin. 
This  can  easily  be  done  with  a  bunch  of  twigs.  The 
2  gallons  may  now  be  diluted  with  hike-warm  water  to 
10  gallons.  Use  when  lukewarm. 


Preparing  For  Milking 

The  milkers  should  wear  clean  overalls,  which  have 
to  be  renewed  often  enough  to  prevent  them  from  be- 
coming soiled.  He  should  have  handy  a  pail  of  clean 
water  in  which  a  little  of  an  odorless  disinfectant  has 
been  dissolved,  and  a  towel.  With  the  water  and  towel 
he  moistens  the  flanks  and  udder  of  the  cow  before  he 
starts  milking-  and  cleans  his  hands. 

The  moistening  of  flank  and  udder  has  for  object 
to  fix  loose  hairs,  dandruff  and  other  dust  to  the  skin  so 
that  it  will  not  fall  in  the  milkpail. 

Milking  With  Wet  or  Dry  Hands 

If  a  milker  has  the  habit  of  milking  with  wet  hands, 
he  should  have  the  above  mentioned  moist  towel  hang- 
ing on  his  belt  for  the  purpose  of  wetting  his 
hands  from  time  to  time,  taking  care  to  wash  the 
towel  before  it  becomes  soiled.  He  should  never  milk 
in  his  hands  or  dip  his  fingers  in  the  milk.  Nor  should 
he  make  the  hands  so  wet  that  moisture  will  drop  into 
the  milkpail. 

Altho  he  may,  with  these  precautions,  eliminate 
many  of  the  objections  of  wet  hand  milking,  milking 
with  dry  hands  must  be  considered  preferable,  being- 
more  hygienical. 


Milking  Machines 

The  use  of  a  milking  machine  does  not  make  the 


31 


above  precautions  superfluous.  If  the  teats  are  not 
cleaned  before  milking,  the  teatcups  of  the  machine  will 
not  fit  tightly  around  the  teats.  Some  air  and  dirt  will 
enter  into  the  pail  through  the  space  thus  formed.  This 
interferes  with  the  efficiency  of  the  milking-machine,  at 
the  same  time  soiling  the  milk. 

Furthermore,  during  the  stripping  following  the 
machine  milking,  the  milker  works  under  exactly  the 
same  conditions  as  an  ordinary  hand  milker,  hence  should 
take  the  same  precautions  for  clean  work.  The  parts  of 
the  milking-machine,  coming  in  direct  contact  with 
the  milk,  should  be  carefully  kept  clean  according  to  the 
prescriptions,  which  the  manufacturers  send  with  every 
machine  and  the  rubber  parts  and  cups  kept  in  an  an- 
tiseptic solution  when  not  in  use.  This  to  prevent 
the  growth  of  bacteria  and  moulds  in  the  microscopical 
cracks  which  form  usually  in  the  inside  lining  of  the 
rubber  parts. 

For  the  same  reason  the  tubes  should  be  totally 
filled  with  the  solution  and  no  air-spaces  left. 

It  will  be  found  convenient  to  have  a  trough  made 
with  a  sloping  bottom.  The  trough  should  be  so  long 
that  the  rubber  tubes  may  be  laid  in  it  without  bending 
the  same.  When  putting  the  tubes  in  the  trough  filled 
with  disinfectant  start  at  the  deepest  end  and  lower 
slowly.  All  the  air  is  in  this  manner  driven  out  of  the 
tubing. 

A  milking  machine  may  be  a  great  help  for  labor 
saving  and  cleanliness  when  it  is  skillfully  handled ;  in 
the  hands  of  careless  and  neglectful  milkers  it  is  a  most 
dangerous  tool.  Improperly  cleaned  machines  cause  a 
(icfect  in  the  milk  lately  known  as  milking  machine  fla- 
vour which  is  very  objectionable.  Dairymen  should 
therefore  see  that  the  smallest  details  of  the  cleaning  are 
done  with  thoroughness. 

32 


Milkpails 

Several  types  of  sanitary  milkpails  have  been  con- 
structed and  recommended.  A  good  milkpail  should  be 
made  of  well  tinned  metal,  have  smooth  surfaces  and 
corners  so  that  it  is  very  easy  to  clean  .  Its  top  should 
be  partly  covered  (See  illustration  below.) 

Even  in  the  cleanest  stables  the  air  carries  bacteria 
v/hich  are  stirred  up  by  air-currents  and  fall  to  the  floor 
in  a  sort  of  invisible  rain.  During'  milking"  they  fall  also 
in  the  milkpail  If  the  top  thereof  is  partly  covered,  the 
danger  of  bacteria  falling-  into  the  pail  is  eliminated  in 
proportion  to  the  extent  of  the  cover  over  the  pail-open- 
ing- At  the  same  time  hair,  dandruff  and  other  impuri- 
ties and  eventual  drops  of  perspiration  of  the  milker's 
face  are  kept  out. 


SANITARY   MILKPAIL 
[Courtesy  of  Creamery  Package  Mfg.  Co.l 


Milking 

The  two  first  streams  of  each  teat  should  be  milked 
away.  This  milk  contains  usually  only  0,  5  to  1,  5%  of 
butterfat,  but  may  contain  large  numbers  of  bacteria 
which  have  entered  through  the  milk-duct  of  the  teat  into 
the  udder.  At  the  same  time  the  milker  makes  sure  by 
judging  this  milk  and  by  feeling  the  udder,  that  all  the 
quarters  are  sound.  If  any  inflammation  is  detected,  one 
or  more  of  the  quarters  feel  hard  and  hot,  the  milk  of 
such  quarters  should  not  be  milked  into  the  pail,  nor 

33 


milk  which  contains  small  lumps  of  a  curd-like  matter, 
that  indicate  the  existence  of  garget  or  other  diseases  of 
the  udder. 

After  milking  cows  that  have  garget  or  other  dis- 
eases of  the  udder  and  teats  the  milker  should  wash  his 
hands  as  some  of  these  diseases  may  be  transferred  from 
one  cow  to  the  other  by  milking.  For  this  reason  it 
seems  a  wise  precaution  to  clean  the  hands  regularly 
when  moving  from  cow  to  cow,  and  to  milk  the  visibly 
affected  cows  after  all  the  others  have  been  milked.  The 
wet  towel  mentioned  above,  will  prove  very  handy  for 
this  purpose  if  kept  clean  and  disinfected  properly. 

The  milking  is  preferably  done  with  the  whole  hand, 
or  if  the  teats  are  small,  by  using  one,  two  or  more  fin- 
gers, closing  well  around  the  teats. 

Stripping  between  the  thumbs  and  the  first  fingers 
can  not  be  recommended  as  it  may  cause  injury  to  the 
muscles  of  the  teats  and  weaken  the  same  to  such  a  de- 
gree that  the  cow  cannot  hold  its  milk  up  and  loses  a 
part  of  it  between  the  milkings. 

The  milking  should  be  performed  with  strong  regu- 
lar streams  and  not  be  interrupted.  When  the  milking 
process  is  often  interrupted  the  cows  may  acquire  the 
habit  of  holding  the  milk  up  and  will  dry  up  too  soon. 
For  this  reason  the  stripping  usually  following  the  ma- 
chine-milking, should  be  performed  immediately  after 
the  latter  has  been  done,  so  that  the  whole  proceeding  has 
the  character  of  one  uninterrupted  process. 


Milk  of  Kicking  Cows 

It  may  happen  that  during  milking  one  of  the  cows 
kicks  and  that  her  foot  gets  into  the  pail.  It  is  self- 
speaking  that  the  milk  which  is  in  the  pail  at  that  mo- 
ment, is  not  fit  for  delivery  to  the  creamery.  The  pail 
should  be  emptied  and  cleansed  before  being  used  again. 

Milkers  to  whom  such  an  accident  happens  should 
34 


not  been  subjected  to  unjust  reproaches  which  will  tempt 
them  to  conceal  further  cases,  by  putting  such  dirty  milk 
into  the  milkcans. 

The  use  of  a  sanitary  milkpail,  with  partly  covered 
lop,  decreases  the  danger  considerably.     (See  Page  33  ) 


Colostrum  Milk 

The  milk  of  newly  calved  cowrs  contains  a  high  per- 
centage of  albumen  and  also  colostrum-cells.  Albumen 
coagulates  when  subjected  to  temperatures  applied  often 
in  the  manufacture  of  dairy  products. 

Colostrum  milk  is  the  natural  feed  for  the  calves- 
It  should  never  be  sent  to  the  creamery. 

The  fitness  of  new  milk  as  a  raw  material  for  milk 
products  may  be  tried  by  boiling  a  small  quantity.  If  it 
does  not  clabber  when  heated  to  the  boiling  point  it  may 
be  shipped.  In  case  of  doubt  ship  the  milk  in  a  separate 
can,  bearing  a  label  on  which  the  nature  of  the  milk  is 
mentioned. 

Milk  is  usually  free  from  colostrum  within  five  days 
after  calving,  sometimes  however,  not  before  the  10th 
day. 

In  the  State  of  California  it  is  unlawful  to  ship  milk 
from  cows  within  5  days  after  calving. 


Strappings 

Milk  from  cows  nearer  than  6  weeks  to  freshening 
sometimes  becomes  abnormal.  The  cows  should  be  dried 
and  given  a  good  rest.  To  induce  the  cows  to  dry  they 
are  usually  milked  once  a  day  for  a  few  days,  then  every 
other  day  and  finally  not  at  all. 

The  milk  produced  during  this  period  is  termed 
''strippings."  It  should  not  be  sent  to  the  creamery  but 
after  close  examination,  and  under  no  circumstances  if 
the  cows  are  not  milked  every  day.  Milk  from  cows  that 
are  milked  once  every  two  days  and  less  often,  has  an 

35 


abnormal  composition  which  makes  it  unfit  for  creamery 
purposes. 

As  soon  as  the  milk  from  cows,  far  in  pregnancy, 
gets  a  salty  taste  the  shipment  must  be  discontinued. 


The  Straining  or  Filtering  of  Milk 

The  straining  of  the  milk  has  for  object  the  elimi- 
nation of  undissolved  impurities,  which  have  fallen  into 
the  milk  during  milking.  To  be  effective  it  must  be 
done  at  once  after  each  cow  is  milked;  before  the  bacteria 
that  adhere  to  the  impurities,  have  a  chance  to  disperse 
in  the  milk  and  reproduce. 

Altho  a  good  strainer  has  a  remarkable  corrective 
influence  on  the  quality  of  milk,  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  the  very  best  strainer  cannot  remedy  the  evil  effects 
of  uncleanliness  before  and  during  milking. 


Milkstrainers 

Several  types  of  strainers  have  been  made  for  the 
purpose  of  cleaning  the  milk  of  impurities  or  sediment. 
They  have  usually  a  cone  shape  and  are  constructed  to 
fit  the  opening  of  milkcans ;  they  serve  also  as  funnels 
and  facilitate  the  pouring  of  the  milk  into  the  cans. 
Some  strainers  are  provided  with  finely  perforated  gauze, 
others  with  filtercloth,  and  still  others  with  absorbent 
cotton  placed  between  discs  of  fine  mesh  gauze  or  two 
layers  of  muslin  or  cheesecloth. 

The  cottonstrainers  are  the  most  effective.  They 
have,  however,  the  disadvantage  of  easily  clogging  of 
the  filter  material  and  of  working  too  slow.  Their  filter- 
surface  is  too  small.  When  clogged  the  filter-material 
must  be  renewed- 

Moreover,  strainers  placed  on  the  milkcans,  make  it 
difficult  to  control  the  filling  of  the  same.  Consequently 
a  quantity  of  milk  is  frequently  lost  by  over-filling  of 
the  milkcan,  and  also  by  transferring  a  partly  filled 
strainer  from  one  can  to  another. 

36 


A  good  sanitary  strainer  is  illustrated  on  page  37. 
It  has  been  made  according  to  the  author's  design  with 
the  object  to  overcome  the  disadvantages  above-named. 
It  is  not  placed  on  the  cans  and  the  size  therefore  not 
limited;  it  may  be  made  to  suit  the  requirements  of  any 
size  farm. 

The  strainer  may  be  placed  on  any  stool,  box  or 
rable  higher  than  the  milkcans.  By  its  tilting-spout  ar- 
nmgement,  the  transfer  from  one  can  to  the  other  is 
avoided.  The  milker  can  easily  control  the  degree  of 
tilling  of  the  cans  and  thus  prevent  all  losses  of  milk. 

Altho  '  intended  as  a  cotton-strainer,  all  kinds  of 
filter-material  can  be  used  in  it.  It  is  conveniently  taken 
apart  and  cleaned. 

On  farms  where  a  cream-separator  is  used  the 
strainer  may  be  used  as  a  receiving  tank  for  the  same  or 
for  a  milk-cooler. 

If  cotton  cloth  is  used  for  filter-material  this  must 
be  -cleaned  after  each  milking  and  sterilized  by  boiling 
in  water. 


The  Cooling  of  the  Milk 

As  stated  before  the  milk-bacteria  find  an  ideal 
medium  for  their  development  in  freshly  drawn  milk, 
having  almost  the  body  temperature  of  the  cows. 

For  this  reason  the  milk  should  be  cooled  directly 
after  the  milking  of  each  cow  and  to  a  temperature, 
lo\v  enough,  to  prevent  bacterial  growth  as  nearly  as 
possible.  Every  minute  lost  gives  these  micro-organisms 
a  start  that  cannot  be  undone  by  later  cooling.  If  the 
milking  of  all  the  cows  is  finished  before  the  cooling  is 
done,  often  two  or  three  hours  after  the  milking  of  the 
first  cow,  the  growth  of  bacteria  in  the  milk  of  the  cows 
first  milked,  may  have  advanced  so  much  that  it  has  an 
influence  on  the  quality  of  the  products  made  from  it. 

From  the  above  follows  that  milk-coolers  should  be 


Postma's    Sanitary    Milkstrainer. 
(Patent  Applied  for.) 

A.    Ready  for  use.      B.   Inner  parts  lifted.     1.   Tilting   Spout. 

2.  Absorbent  Cotton.     3.  Outside  Vat.     4.   Kilu-rbed  Plate 

5.  Strainer  for  pressing  cotton  on  the  Filterplate. 


38 


used  on  every  dairy  farm,  and  that  the  milk  should  al- 
ways be  cooled.  (If  possible  to  50  degrees  Fahrenheit- ") 

The  most  effective  milk-coolers  for  farms  are  the 
flat  tubular — and  the  spiral-conical,  illustrated  on  next 
pages. 

The  water  enters  these  coolers  at  the  bottom  and 
leaves  them  at  the  top.  The  milk  flows  from  a  tank 
above  the  cooler,  into  a  very  -thin  layer  over  the  outside 
of  the  cooling-surface  and  in  its  downward  course,  is 
constantly  coming-  in  contact  with  a  colder  surface-  In 
a  few  seconds  it  may  thus  be  cooled  to  a  low  temperature, 
2  or  3  degrees  higher  than  that  of  the  cooling  waiter. 

It  is  important  that  the  water  used  for  cooling  be 
taken  direct  from,  the  well. 

A  satisfactory  arrangement  can  be  made  by  con- 
necting the  discharge -pipe  of  the  water  pump  by  a  side- 
line and  rubber  hose  pipe  to  the  inlet  of  the  milk-cooler. 
The -pump  should  be  kept  working  during  cooling.  The 
quantity  of  water  needed  for  effective  cooling  may  be 
regulated  with  the  help  of  a  faucet  and  is  forced  thru 
the  cooler  while  the  surplus  water  will  follow  the  usual 
course  and  is  forced  in  the  higher  standing  reservoir. 

If  the  water  is  pumped  into  the  reservoir  previous 
to  cooling,  it  may  warm  up  considerably  in  hot  summer 
v.eather  and  the  result  will  not  be  as  good  as  when  tak- 
ing the  water  direct  from  the  well. 

A  reliable  dairy  thermometer  should  be  regularly 
used  to  ascertain  that  the  milk  is  cooled  sufficiently. 

The  milk-cooler  should  be  placed  in  the  milk-house, 
a  sanitary  building,  separated  from  the  stables  by  an 
open  space,  and  with  clean  surroundings.  The  floor  is 
by  preference  made  of  concrete,  sloping  to  the  sewer- 
c. pening  which  is  covered  with  an  air-trap. 


Tank-Cooling 

If  no  milk-cooler  is  available,  the  milkcans  should 


Spiral  Conical  Milkcooler 

With   Tilting   Spoilt,   Receiving-  Vat  and  Stand. 
Courtesy   of   Creamery    Packu.uv    Alf.u.    Co. 


n 

Flat    Tubular    Milkcooler    and    Receiving    Tank 
Courtesy  of  Creamery  Package  Mfg.  Co. 


41 


be  placed,  immediately  after  filling,  in  a  tank  containing 
cold  water.  The  tank  should  have  an  overflow  at  such 
height  that  the  water  cannot  reach  higher  than  to  the 
neck  of  the  milkcans. 

It  should  also  have  an  outlet  with  stop  at  the  bot- 
tom so  that  it  may  easily  be  emptied  and  cleaned. 

The  water  in  the  tank  should  be  often  renewed  and 
the  milk  stirred  with  a  tinned  metal  stirrer  by  moving 
the  latter  ;//>  and  down. 

Cooling  in  tanks  is  not  as  effective  as  with  a  milk- 
cooler.  It  takes  hours  before  the  milk  is  cooled  to  a 
temperature  near  to  that  of  the  water.  At  the  same  time 
the  amount  of  labor  and  loss  of  time  connected  with  this 
system  is  considerable. 

After  cooling  the  milk  should  be  stored  in  a  fresh, 
cool  place  till  it  is  delivered  to  the  creamery. 


Cooling  By  Air 

Cooling  by  air  is  a  system  of  very  inferior  value. 
It  is,  however,  generally  used,  greatly  to  the  prejudice 
of  the  quality  of  dairy  products. 

In  places  where  the  milk  is  delivered  to  the  cream- 
ery but  once  a  day,  the  evening  milk  is  put  in  a  cool 
place  or  outdoors  and  the  air  is  supposed  to  do  the  cool- 
ing. 

It  is  self-speaking  that  the  result  depends  upon  the 
trmperuturc  of  the  outside  air  and  that  every  fluctuation 
of  the  same  is  noticeable  in  the  quality  of  the  milk.  No 
regularity  can  be  obtained  with  such  a  system  and  the 
milk  so  treated  is  unreliable  as  a  raw  material  for 
cerameries. 


The  Transportation  of  Milk 

After  the  milk  has  been  cooled  it  should  be  sent  to 
the  creamery  without  delay.  In  case  of  delivery  once 
per  day,  the  warm  morning  milk  must  not  be  mixed  with 


the  evening-  milk  until  after  cooling.  There  is  always 
some  bacterial  growth  even  if  the  evening  milk  was  well 
cooled.  By  mixing  the  warm  morning  milk  with  the 
evening  milk  and  thus  raising  the  temperature  several 
c'egrees,  a  vigorous  fermentation  may  be  started,  spoiling 
the  milk  before  it  arrives  at  the  creamery. 

If  the  evening  milk  is  shipped  in  separate  cans,  care 
should  be  taken  to  mix  the  cream,  in  the  top  layer  of  the 
can,  with  the  other  contents  of  the  same  by  stirring 
thoroughly  before  transportation.  If  this  is  neglected 
the  cream  may  churn  out  during  transport  or,  in  case 
some  accident  happens,  is  likely  to  be  lost.  In  both 
cases  the  milk  will  show  a  lower  butterfat-test. 

The  transport  is  preferably  done  with  a  spring- 
wagxm  or  truck.  The  bottom  of  the  vehicle  must  be  kept 
in  a  clean  condition  by  frequent  washing  with  an  abund- 
ance of  water.  Dirty  bottoms  of  milk  wagons  are  an 
important  source  of  contamination  of  the  milk.  The  dirt 
often  adheres  to  the  bottoms  of  the  cans  and  drops  in 
the  weighing  tank  when  the  milk  is  dumped  therein. 

For  the  same  reason  the  milk-stands  at  the  road- 
sides should  be  kept  clean. 

In  extreme  weather,  the  cans  may  be  protected  by 
covering  with  a  cloth  or  felt  hoods. 

Return  Products 

Skimmilk,  buttermilk,  whey,  etc.,  returned  to  the 
farm  for  feeding  purposes,  should  never  be  put  in  cans 
that  are  used  for  fresh  milk  transport-  Special  cans 
must  be  used  for  that  purpose,  as  it  is  nearly  impossible 
to  clean  such  cans  on  the  farm  so  well  that  fresh  milk 
can  safely  be  put  in  without  endangering  the  quality. 
]\lilkcans  must  never  be  used  for  anything  else  but  milk. 


The  Cleaning  of  Milkcans 

If  the  cleaning     of  the  milkcans   is   done     by  the 
creamery,  the  dairyman  should  convince  himself  that  the 

43 


cans  are  properly  cleaned.  If  they  are  not,  he  should 
immediately  fix  the  attention  of  the  creamery  man  on  the 
fact  and  insist  upon  correction. 

Improperly  cleaned  milkcans  may  be  a  cause  of 
rapid  deterioration  of  the  milk  and  thus  cause  serious 
losses  to  the  dairyman,  by  the  rejection  of  his  milk. 
Therefore,  it  is  to  his  interest  to  see  that  the  cans  are 
\vell  cleaned  and  not  soiled  during  the  transport  back 
to  the  farm. 


The  Storage  of  Empty  Milkcans 

The  empty  cans  may  conveniently  be  placed  on  a 
shelf  in  or  about  the  milkhouse.  The  shelf  should  be 
raised  two  feet  or  more  above  the  ground  or  floor  and  the 
cans  placed  on  it  with  the  bottoms  up.  The  lids  may  be 
laid  on  the  bottoms  of  the  cans.  By  this  arrangement  no. 
dust  can  fall  into  the  cans  or  on  the  side  of  the  lid  that 
comes  in  contact  with  the  milk. 

Empty  cans  must  never  be  stored  with  the  lids  on. 
In  milkcans  which  are  kept  closed  when  empty,  a  very 
disagreeable  flavor  soon  develops,  especially  if  the  in- 
side of  the  can  is  not  perfectly  dry.  This  flavor  is 
bound  to  taint  the  milk  and  reduce  its  quality. 

It  has  been  found  that  the  cleaning  or  rinsing  of  the 
milkcans  with  boiling  water,  just  before  milking,  re- 
duces the  number  of  bacteria  in  milk  to  a  remarkable 
degree. 

Milkcans  must  not  be  stored  in  stables,  dirty  barn- 
yards, near  manure  piles  or  other  unhygienical  places. 
Before  filling,  the  milker  should  convince  himself  that 
they  are  clean  inside  and  that  no  snails,  etc.,  have  en- 
tered. 


•i ; 


CHAPTER  IV. 


The  Production  of  Cream 

Dairymen  who  separate  the  milk,  produced  on 
their  farms  and  ship  the  cream  to  a  creamery,  should  ob- 
serve strictly  all  the  rules,  laid  down  in  the  preceding' 
chapter  for  the  production  of  clean  milk. 

Cream  contains  the  most  valuable  part  of  the  milk 
and  should  therefore  be  handled  with  the  greatest  care. 
Where  cream  is  often  graded  at  its  delivery  at  the 
creamery  and  paid  for  according  to  the  grade,  the 
greater  care  given  to  it  is  amply  rewarded  by  the  higher 
returns  for  the  better  qualities. 


Cream  Separators 

Several  types  of  highly  perfected  cream  separators 
are  now  on  the  market.  Dairymen  desiring  to  buy  a 
cream  separator  may  obtain  ample  information  about  the 
best  type  for  the  local  conditions  from  neighbors,  farm 
advisers,  etc. 

By  carefully  following  the  instructions  sent  by  the 
makers  with  every  machine  that  is  shipped,  it  is  not  too 
difficult  to  become  familiar  with  the  handling  of  them. 
]f  necessary,  some  .practice  may  be  gained  by  attending 
the  separation  of  milk  at  a  farm  in  the  neighborhood, 
or  at  a  dairv  school. 


Separating  of  Milk 

Connected  with  the  separating  of  milk  there  are 
two  matters  which  have  a  great  influence  on  the  quality 
of  the  cream  and  should  therefore  have  the  special  at- 
tention of  the  dairyman.  They  are : 

1st.  The  milk  must  be  separated  immediately  after 
milking,  and 

2nd.    The  cream  must  be  cooled  at  once,  after  sepa- 

45 


rating,  to  a  temperature  as  near  to  50  degrees  Fahren- 
heit as  is  possible. 

Directly  after  milking  the  milk  has  the  right  tem- 
perature for  the  separating  process,  viz :  90  to  95  degrees 
Fahrenheit.  If  worked  at  that  temperature  very  little 
butterfat  will  go  into  the  skimmilk,  and  a  concentrated 
cream  of  about  40  per  cent  of  butterfat  may  be  pro- 
duced without  difficulty. 

If  the  milk  is  allowed  to  stand  any  length  of  time 
between  milking  and  separating  it  will  cool  more  or  less, 
in  accordance  with  the  temperature  of  the  air  at  the 
place  where  it  stands.  More  butterfat  will  pass  into  the 
skimmilk  and  the  cream  will  be  thinner ;  which  means 
an  unnecessary  loss  of  skimmilk  for  the  dairyman. 

The  cooling  of  the  cream  should  be  done  immediately 
after  separating  for  the  same  reasons  which  make  cool- 
ing of  the  milk  desirable  directly  after  milking.  (See 
page  37.) 

A  very  practical  illustration  for  separating  and 
cooling  is  shown  on  page  47. 

The  cream,  after  leaving  the  separator,  flows  over  a 
conical,  closed-in  cooler.  The  process  is  almost  instanta- 
neous and  assures  the  greatest  efficiency. 

The  cooling  water  should  be  taken  direct  from  the 
well  as  described  on  page  39. 

If  no  cold  water  is  available,  ice  may  be  used  for  the 
cooling  of  cream.  The  ice  is  either  placed  inside  the 
cooler  or  the  cream,  after  separation,  put  into  a  can  and 
the  can  in  a  vat  containing  water  and  ice. 


Tank- cooling  of  Cream 

Tank-cooling  is  still  more  undesirable  for  cream  than 
it  is  for  milk.  The  greater  thickness  of  the  cream  makes 
very  frequent  stirring  necessary  before  a  good  result  may 
be  attained.  Even  under  the  most  favorable  conditions 
tank-cooling  is  so  much  less  efficient  that  the  installation 

4(5 


The  Ideal  Sanitary  Cream  Cooler 

Courtesy   of  the    De    Laval    Dairy   Supply    Co. 


The  above  Illustration  shows  a  De  Laval  Hand  Separator 
and  conical  enclosed  Cream  Cooler  and  Stand. 

The  Cooler  is  so  constructed  that  it  can  be  placed  under 
the  cream-spout  of.  the  smallest  size  Separator  and  still  be 
high  enough  to  deliver  by  gravity  into  a  5  or  10  gallon  can. 

It  is  strictly  sanitary  in  every  particular,  in  that  the 
cream  is  at  no  time  exposed  to  the  air  and  as  a  consequence 
will  not  absorb  bad  odors  or  be  contaminated  with  dust  that 
may  be  floating  in  the  air. 

The  stand  is  readily  adjustable  to  any  height,  conse- 
quently it  can  be  used  in  connection  with  any  make  or  size 
Separator. 


4T 


of  a  cream-cooler  seems  to  be  inseparable  from  that  of  a 
separator.  The  outlay  of  capital  is  soon  recovered  by  the 
greater  income  caused  by  the  greater  returns  of  the  bet- 
ter cream. 

If  the  cream  is  not  shipped  at  once  after  cooling  the 
Can  should  be  placed  in  cold  water  or  at  a  cool  place  in 
the  milkhouse. 

The  lid  should  be  put  loosely  on  the  can,  allowing 
air  circulation,  but  preventing  the  entrance  of  snails, 
mice,  etc.,  and  also  of  flies  and  falling  bacteria. 

Cream,  should  be  sent  to  the  creamery  as  often  as  is 
practicable.  Even  the  best  handled  cream  loses  its  de- 
licious flavor  if  it  is  kept  too  long,  even  at  a  low  tem- 
perature. 


Cleaning  the  Separator  and  the  Milking  Tools 

The  separator  and  all  the  milking  tools  should  be 
thoroughly  cleaned  with  hot  water  and  soda  and  rinsed 
with  hot  water,  after  each  milking. 

Numerous  bacteria  are  separated  out  with  the  milk 
sediment  and  remain  in  the  separator.  If  left  there  dur- 
ing the  night  they  may  reproduce  and  infect  the  morn- 
ing milk  and  cream. 

After  cleaning,  the  parts  of  the  separator  and  the 
tools  should  be  kept  in  a  dust-free  place  in  the  milk-house. 
A  shelf  of  lathwork  answers  the  purpose  very  well. 

The  floor  and  the  walls  of  the  milk-house  have  to 
be  cleaned  daily  and  thoroughly.  Water  and  soda  to 
which  a  little  lime  has  been  added  will  make  cleaning  easy 
and  keep  everything  fresh  and  hygienical. 


48 


CHAPTER  V. 


Undesirable  Fermentations 

With  good  management  of  the  milk  and  cream,  the 
dairyman  will  have  little  to  fear  from  undesirable  fer- 
mentations and  his  losses  from  this  cause  will  be  insig- 
nificant. 

The  rejection  of  milk  by  the  creameryman  on  ac- 
count of  abnormality,  is  almost  invariably  the  result  of 
non-observance  by  the  producer  or  his  helpers,  of  one  or 
more  of  the  rules  governing  the  production  of  clean 
milk. 


Sour  Milk 

The  lactic  acid  fermentation  or  the  souring  of  milk 
is  not,  properly  speaking,  an  undesirable  fermentation; 
it  is  undesirable  only  when  the  souring  takes  place  be- 
fore the  milk  has  been  delivered  to  the  creamery,  and  is 
one  of  the  principal  causes  for  rejection.  On  farms 
where  the  milk  is  produced  with  care  and  cooled  near  to 
50  degrees  Fahrenheit,  immediately  after  milking,  and 
shipped  in  due  time,  no  untimely  souring  will  occur,  even 
when  the  milk  is  transported  a  considerable  distance  in 
warm  weather. 

Bitter  Milk 

When  milk  is  kept  at  a  temperature  lower  than  50 
degrees  Fahrenheit  during  a  long  time,  the  milk  some- 
times gets  a  bitter  taste,  caused  by  fermentation.  The 
taste  is  very  disagreeable  and  makes  the  milk  unfit  for 
use.  The  trouble  may  also  be  found  in  milk  of  cows 
very  far  advanced  in  lactation,  or  in  stripper's-milk. 

The  bacteria  causing  the  bitter  taste  grow  at  a 
lower  temperature  than  the  lactic  acid  bacteria.  Lactic 
acid  bacteria,  under  normal  development,  prevent  the 


growth  of  bitter  milk  bacteria.  At  temperatures  at 
which  the  lactic  acid  bacteria  cease  to  grow  normally, 
the  defect  develops  very  rapidly. 

For  this  reason  milk  which  has  a  tendency  to  bitter 
fermentation  should  not  be  cooled  to  temperatures  lower 
than  50  degrees. 

Prompt  shipment  after  milking  and  cooling,  the 
drying  of  cows  old  in  milk,  and  careful  examination  of 
stripper's  milk  are  the  remedies  for  this  trouble. 


Fishy  or  Oily  Milk  . 

Milk,  and  especially  cream,  which  is  held  over  a 
long  time  before  shipment,  occasionally  acquires  a  very 
disagreeable  taste  and  odor,  reminding  one  of  fish-oil. 
Such  milk  is  termed  "oily"  or  "fishy."  The  milk  is  unfit 
for  creamery  purposes  and  only  inferior  butter  can  be 
made  of  the  cream. 

Cleanliness  and  prompt  shipment  to  the  creamery 
after  milking  and  cooling,  as  in  the  case  of  bitter  milk, 
is  the  remedy. 


Gassy  Fermentation 

This  trouble  is  caused  by  bacteria  which,  when  in 
the  milk,  cause  practically  all  the  milk-products  -to  be  of 
inferior  and  unreliable  quality.  The  trouble  is  usually  de- 
tected after  the  milk  has  been  worked  and  is  for  this 
reason  very  dangerous  and  detrimental. 

The  bacteria  are  found  in  immense  numbers  in  filth 
and  dung.  Their  appearance  in  the  milk  is  a  sign  <>f 
gross  neglect  of  the  rules  for  clean  milk  production. 
The  strictest  cleanliness  is  the  only  remedy  for  this  evil. 

Slimy  or  Ropy  Milk 

Slimy  milk  does  not  show  abnormal  immediately 
a  CUT  milking.  The  trouble  develops  later  and  the  milk 

50 


becomes  very  viscous;  it  may  he  strung  out  in  long  rope- 
like  threads.  The  sliminess  of  milk  is  due  to  bacteria 
which  are  found  in  the  water  that  is  used  for  cooling 
and  cleaning',  in  the  air  of  the  stables  and  in  the  dust. 

The  trouble  may  easily  be  carried  from  one  farm 
to  another.  Great  care  should  therefore  be  taken  that 
no  pails  and  milkcans  that  have  been  used  in  the  produc- 
tion and  transport  of  slimy  milk  get  to  another,  not  in 
fected  farm. 

Slimy  milk  does  not  become  sour,  it  cannot  be  sepa- 
rated and  clabbers  when  boiled ;  it  is  unfit  for  creamery 
] nirposes,  except  perhaps  for  cheese  making. 

Where  the  trouble  appears  the  strictest  cleanliness 
should  be  practiced.  All  the  milk-tools,  milkcans,  the 
clothing-  of  the  milkers,  must  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and 
vashed  in  boiling  \vater.  Hot  water  and  soda  with  a 
little  lime  added  to  it  will  prove  an  efficient  remedy.  The 
rinsing  must  ahvays  be  done  with  toiling  hot  water. 
Under  no  conditions  should  cold  water  be  used. 

If  tank-cooling  is  practiced,  the  tank  must  be  daily 
cleaned  with  soda  and  lime  and  some  formaldehyde 
added  to  the  cooling  water. 

Whitewashing  the  stables  and  the  milkhouse  is 
strongly  recommended. 

Garget  and  Inflammation  of  the  Udder 

Milk  produced  by  cows  that  suffer  from  these  dis- 
eases contains  a  great  many  undesirable  bacteria,  often 
a  long  time  after  apparent  recovery  and  should  not  be 
sent  to  the  creamery  before  the  cows  are  cured. 


Other  Milk  Defects 

Blood\  Milk.  Bloody  milk  is  a  regular  apparition 
in  creameries,  particularly  at  the  time  when  the  cows 
ireshen.  Colostrum-milk  often  contains  a  considerable 
quantity  of  blood.  Milk  may  also  become  bloody  by  in- 
jury to  one  or  more  of  the  quarters  of  the  udder,  by 

51 


the  bursting  of  a  blood  vessel  in  the  udder,  or  by  un- 
skilled use  of  a  milking-machine, 

Milk  which  shows  signs  of  being'  bloody  is  not  fit 
for  the  manufacture  of  high  grade  products  and  shoulfl 
not  be  shipped  to  a  creamery. 


Salty  Milk 

(See  page  36) 

Several  other  milk  defects  have  been  experienced 
but  their  appearance  is  so  infrequent  that  a  discussion 
does  not  seem  necessary. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Fermentation- Test 

If  a  dairyman  receives  complaints  about  the  clean- 
liness of  the  milk,  and  of  defects  therein,  he  will  at  once 
look  into  the  matter  and  make  sure  that  all  the  rules  for 
clean  milk  production  are  observed.  If  he  cannot  de- 
lect the  cause  of  the  trouble,  the  fermentation-test  should 
l:e  applied  to  the  milk  of  each  cow.  This  test  is  too  com- 
plicated and  delicate  to  be  made  by  the  average  farmer 
and  the  help  of  a  competent  man  from  the  creamery, 
a  milk-testing  association  or  a  veterinarian  should  be 
acquired. 

The  fermentation-test  is  made  in  the  following 
manner : 

A  small  quantity  of  the  milk  of  each  cow  is  put  into 
a  sterilized  test  tube  and  subjected  to  a  heat  of  98  to  100 
degrees  Fahrenheit  for  the  duration  of  12  continuous 
hours.  This  temperature  is  the  most  favorable  for  the 
greater  number  of  the  bacteria  that  cause  defective  milk 
and  consequently  provokes  a  very  active  development  of 
the  same. 

After  12  hours  the  milk  is  examined  and  the  names 
of  the  cows  giving1  faulty  milk  noted.  The  milk  of  these 
cows  is  not  sent  to  the  creamery  until  a  further  test  has 
proven  it  to  be  normal. 

The  results  of  the  fermentation-test  enable  the 
dairyman  to  form  conclusions  about  the  efficiency  and 
the  sanitary  condition  of  his  business. 

When  all  the  tests  show  a  same  abnormality,  he 
knows  that  there  is  a  general  cause,  which  may  origi- 
nate in : 

1st.     Mouldy  and  putrified   feedstuff. 

2nd.  Impure  water  for  drinking  and  the  cleaning 
of  the  milking  tools. 

53 


3rd.  Badly  ventilated  stables  and  wrong  system  of 
ventilation. 

4th.  Dirty  stables  and  yards  and  insufficient  clean- 
ing- of  the  cows,  udders  and  hands* 

5th.  The  tubes  and  teatcups  of  the  milking-ma- 
chine, if  in  use,  are  not  clean. 

6th.     The    test-glasses    have    not    been    sterilized. 

When  only  a  few  tests  are  abnormal,  the  cause  may 
be  found  with  the  individual  cows  and  may  be : 

7th.  Carelessness  of  an  individual  milker,  if  all  the 
defective  tests  originate  from  cows  milked  by  the  same 
person. 

8th.     The  cows  in  question  may  be  in  heat. 

9th.  The  cows  may  have  garget  in  one  or  more 
quarters. 

10th.     They  may  be  otherwise  diseased. 

llth.     The  milk  may  contain  colostrum-milk,  or 

12th.  The  cows  in  question  may  be  too  far  ad- 
vanced in  lactation. 

The  fermentation-test  may  be  very  helpful  in  de- 
tecting diseases  in  cows  in  time  for  successful  treatment, 
especially  those  of  the  udder. 

Summary  and  Conclusions: 

From  the  above  results  that  the  business  of  dairying 
can  only  be  carried  out  successfully  by  those  who  are 
willing  to  go  to  the  trouble  of  looking  after  a  number 
of  details,  and  to  see  that  the  rules  governing  the  pro- 
duction of  clean  milk  are  once  and  forever  enforced. 

Such  enforcement  need  not  necessarily  lead  to  disa- 
greement with  the  farmhands.  It  is  more  a  question  of 
tact  than  of  authority. 

The  fact  that  many  dairymen  produce  regularly 
clean  milk,  proves  that  such  may  be  done  with  no  unrea- 
sonable amount  of  work,  trouble  and  expense. 

The  education  of  the  milkers  may  be  of  great  as- 
:,  I 


sistance  and  the  dairymen  should  never  omit  an  opportu- 
nity to  give  them  literature  dealing  with  the  matter- 

The  basic  principles  of  agriculture  and  dairy-hy- 
gienics should  be  taught  in  all  country  schools. 

A  system  of  payment  for  the  milk  should  be  ac- 
cepted and  made  compulsory,  whereby  the  price  of  the 
milk  would  be  fixed  in  accordance  with  its  contents  in 
butterfat  and  other  solids,  and  the  hygienic  properties 
thereof.  A  general  progress  in  the  cleanliness  of  the 
industrial  milk  may  only  be  expected  if  the  extra  labor 
connected  with  the  production  of  clean  milk  is  rewarded 
by  the  receipt  of  a  higher  price  for  clean  milk  than  for 
unclean. 

The  waste  and  losses  resulting  from  the  unsanitary 
production  of  large  quantities  of  industrial  milk  are  all 
the  more  regretable  where  the  international  food  situa- 
tion presses  for  the  greatest  economy  in  the  production, 
as  well  in  quality  as  in  quantity. 

The  production  of  clean  industrial  milk  is  a  public 
interest.  Where  private  enterprise  has  not  been  able  to 
bring  about  a  satisfactory  progress  in  the  methods  of 
production,  it  seems  logical  and  reasonable  that  measures 
should  be  taken  by  the  legislature  that  will  encourage 
the  producers  to  greater  efficiency. 

Although,  by  scientific  methods  of  manufacture  we 
are  able  to  correct  many  defects  in  milk,  it  must  be  well 
understood  by  producers  that  a  clean  milk  is  the  basis 
for  high  class  products.  Where  we  may  confidently  look 
forward  to  science  for  further  improvements  in  methods 
this  may  not  divert  our  attention  from  the  great  possi- 
bilities of  progress  on  the  farm. 


The  End. 


*  * 


HANG  IN  THE  MILKHOUSE  OR  STABLE. 


YB  1239! 


ITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


